Directional drilling systems are configurable to control the orientation of a wellbore. In directional drilling—also called horizontal drilling—a non-vertical wellbore is drilled through a formation to reach a target, such as a water reservoir or a hydrocarbon reservoir. Directional drilling systems typically employ specialized downhole equipment to form non-vertical wellbores. A rotary steerable system (RSS) is a type of downhole drilling equipment that may be used for this purpose.
An RSS includes an inner shaft and a drill bit, among other components. The RSS may be controlled via commands provided by a surface computer system. The RSS may respond to those commands by bending the shaft in a specified direction while drilling. The RSS, however, is susceptible to damage caused during its operation or by downhole environmental conditions.